A direct answer: The death penalty should be abolished because it violates fundamental human rights, is prone to irreversible errors and discrimination, does not reliably deter crime, and undermines the fairness and dignity of justice systems. Key reasons, succinctly:

• Irreversibility and risk of executing the innocent: Once carried out, mistakes cannot be corrected, and numerous cases show wrongful convictions or exonerations after sentences have been carried out in some jurisdictions. This undermines the basic right to life and the integrity of justice.

• Lack of proven deterrence: Large bodies of research and international assessments find no conclusive evidence that the death penalty makes societies safer or reduces crime more effectively than life imprisonment. Policy discussions in various UN and human rights contexts reflect this consensus.

• Discrimination and unequal application: The death penalty disproportionately affects marginalized groups, including racial, ethnic, and socioeconomically disadvantaged individuals, and can be applied in biased or uneven ways within legal systems. This undermines equality before the law.

• Inhumane and degrading punishment: State execution is viewed by many as inhumane, degrading, or cruel, contradicting modern human rights standards and the inherent dignity of all people.

• Political misuse and human rights norms: In some contexts, capital punishment has been used to suppress dissent or target political opponents, raising serious concerns about justice and human rights beyond the specific crime.

If you’d like, I can tailor these points to a specific country or legal system, or provide citations from reputable human rights bodies and NGOs to support an advocacy position or a debate briefing.